MEERUT: Five valiant rescuers from Uttarkashis Silkyara tunnel operation, involved in rat-hole mining, returned to their hometown in Uttar Pradeshs Bulandshahr district on Thursday to a heartfelt welcome from family and villagers. With pride-filled eyes, the locals greeted them, presenting floral garlands and beating drums in a display of gratitude.The five rescuers—Devendra Kumar (42), Monu (30), Ankur Kumar (25), Jatin Kashyap (25), and Saurabh Kashyap (21), residents of Akhtiyarpur village in Bulandshahr, expressed their emotions about the rescue mission. Words cant describe the feeling. Tears welled up when we held the hands of our trapped brothers inside the tunnel to bring them to safety, shared the group.Recalling the anxious times, Monus sister, Dharamvati (30), told TOI, Monu was here during the Diwali festival when they received the call from Uttarakhand. Every day, I prayed at our village temple and lit lamps, fervently wishing for their safety and the success of the rescue operation. For us, their return is a celebration as theyve returned safely after saving many lives. We are immensely proud, she added. Notably, rat-hole mining stands prohibited in India due to severe risks posed to miners and the environment. One of the miners, Devendra, said, Introduced to rat-hole mining a decade ago, we faced unemployment due to the ban. Working as daily wage labourers, we only earn about Rs 500-700. We hope the government recognizes the significance of rat-hole mining showcased in this rescue operation. We request them to make proper arrangements so that our skills are utilised and we earn a decent living, he said. Meanwhile, Monu, upon returning to the village, highlighted the need for road construction in their village. We also published the following articles recentlySilkyara tunnel rescuers resort to traditional mining method: Rat-hole mining explainedA team of six rat-hole miners from UP has joined the operation to rescue 41 trapped workers inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi. The miners will manually dig their way to reach the trapped workers in 24 to 36 hours. Rat-hole mining, the excavation of narrow tunnels to extract coal, is predominantly practiced in Meghalaya. In 2014, the National Green Tribunal banned rat-hole mining due to safety risks. However, unauthorized rat-hole mining continues, leading to unfortunate fatalities.Rat-hole miners adept at burrowing small tunnelsOperation to evacuate trapped workers in Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi sees entry of specialized miners. Miners have experience in burrowing in small tunnels and will dig through debris to reach trapped workers. Miners have no issue of claustrophobia and have worked inside smaller pipes. Their track record shows resilience and ability to dig within a timeframe. Miners are armed with shovels and drill machine, operating in pairs to clear debris.Uttarakhand tunnel: How 12 rat-hole miners launched marathon 26-hour rescue operationA team of rat-hole miners played a crucial role in the rescue of 41 trapped labourers in Uttarkashis Silkyara tunnel. These miners, employed by a trenchless engineering services company, worked tirelessly for 26 hours using their skills and basic tools to clear the passage for the trapped group. They manually cleared the last stretch when other teams were facing difficulties. The miners used shovels, spades, a compact drilling machine, and a pan to collect debris, and a trolley to remove muck from the pipe.

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